Past Featured Articles
This is the record of past Featured Articles from the YoYoWiki home page. Donald F. Duncan, Sr. *Featured - April 19, 2014 From Donald F. Duncan: Donald F. Duncan, Sr. (June 6, 1892 - May 15, 1971) was an American entrepreneur and inventor who is most commonly associated with yo-yos; the commercial success they enjoyed during the 20th century in the United States, and subsequently throughout the world, was due largely to his marketing efforts. Donald Duncan was the founder of Duncan yo-yos and is often miscredited with invention of the yo-yo (see History of the yo-yo for its origins). He did not invent the yo-yo, nor did Duncan ever hold a patent on the toy, although the name Yo-yo was a trademark of his company until 1965. Claims that Duncan developed the string loop that makes a yo-yo sleep are also false as this was developed by Pedro Flores prior to the creation of the Duncan Yo-yo Company. In spite of these appropriations, Duncan's marketing tactics are responsible for the widespread popularity of the yo-yo read more... Bill de Boisblanc *Featured - February 16, 2013 From Bill de Boisblanc: Bill de Boisblanc is a National Grand Master who is sponsored by yoyojam and has been throwing a yo-yo and winning contests since the early 1950s. In the 1970s Bill was a featured player in Helane Zeiger's book World on a String ''and more recently was featured in the ''video "BookofCool". He is a three time World Champion and three time U.S. National Champion... read more Johnnie Delvalle *Featured - June 7, 2012 From Johnnie Delvalle: Johnnie Delvalle (often abbreviated to JD) is a world champion yo-yo player whose real name is John Steel. Delvalle is often characterized by wearing sleeveless black shirts. Before moving to become a part of Team YoYoJam, Delvalle was a member of Team Spintastics. In 2002-2004 Delvalle set new 1A play standards, popularizing a style of knot-like complexity, as well as creating grinds, stalls, and freegens (Free Generation, also a term used to define 5A/Freehand Mid-Air Spin Regenerations). These tricks and styles were popularized in freestyles and clip videos made by Johnnie such as... read more Tom Kuhn *Featured - January 19, 2012 From Tom Kuhn: Dr. Tom Kuhn is a San Francisco dentist who has been making yo-yos since the 1970's. Once a neighborhood Duncan yo-yo champion in 1955, he hadn't played in years when he was given a wooden yo-yo as a gift. When it broke, he set out to create an improved yo-yo, starting a second career which carries on to this day. He is the creator of the No Jive 3-in-1, the first modular yo-yo, and the patented Silver Bullet II (SB-2), the first metal ball bearing yo-yo. Originally Tom produced yo-yos in his own San Francisco workshop, but over the years more of his yo-yos have been produced in collaboration with other companies... read more Dennis McBride *Featured - March 12 2011 From Dennis McBride: Dennis McBride began his yo-yo career at the age of eight, and as a child earned more than 15 yo-yo titles. He competed in many Duncan contests in his native California through the local parks and recreation departments- from playground level contests, to city level contests, to the county level and finally in California State contests. He competed until 1960, when he retired at the "ripe old age of 15" Dennis didn't start working professionally until the 80's. He got a hold of a couple of Tom Kuhn yo-yos - "they were so beautifully balanced and really worked great." Duncan hired him part time in the 1980's. In 1995, the National Yo-Yo Museum named Dennis one of the initial three "National Masters" and has since elevated his title to National Grand master... read more Stuart Crump *Featured - November 22, 2009 From Stuart Crump: Stuart Crump is best known in the yo-yo community as "Professor Yo-Yo" the editor of "Yo-Yo Times" the longest running yo-yo periodical. Like many kids of the 1950s, Stu was introduced to yo-yos by a professional demonstrator. But he didn't meet the yo-yo man at a contest or school demonstration. On a family vacation to Charleston, SC, the Crumps had the good fortune to be staying four doors down from Joe Radovan, owner of the Royal Yo-Yo Company. The year was 1954 and every night found Stu and his brother watching in amazement as Radovan worked the yo-yo. Stu bought his first yo-yo at a corner store that summer: a three-jewel Royal that cost 20 cents. Radovan carved an island scene on it and encouraged the boys to learn the basic tricks... read more Styles Of Play *Featured - July 3, 2007 From Styles Of Play: This page lists some of the yo-yo styles you will come across. This list is not complete but covers all of the most common styles and a few of the more outrageous ones. This page should serve to give you ideas of new ways to play. It should be noted that some of these styles blur, and so some people would dispute as to whether they are a separate style (for example, some people consider sliding counterweight to be part of freehand). A style of play should not be confused with a trick category, such as grinds. A style of play requires there to be something different about the equipment that allows new tricks to be performed. This is why we have classified sliding counterweight as different to freehand because the setup is different and so different tricks can be done.read more... History Of The Yo-yo *Featured - April 8, 2006 From History Of The Yo-yo: Want to know how it all began? Who really invented the yo-yo? All that and more on the yo-yo history page. We cover the yo-yo's murky origins, the origin of the sleeper, the well-known Duncan buyout and early competitions. You can also find out about the infamous yo-yo trademark and whether or not common yo-yo history stories are true.read more... Shaken or Stirred? (How to clean a Bearing) *Featured - November 1, 2005 From Ball Bearings: Which way is best to get your Ball Bearings clean, Shaken or Stirred? Can you tell a KonKave from a Mercury? Read it all here. Hironori Mii *Featured - October 28, 2005 From Hironori Mii: Everybody's favorite offstring champion Hironori Mii. Hironori has an article but it needs to be filled out. Click the link and start editing :) List of Yo-Yo Companies *Featured - October 3, 2005 From List of Yo-Yo Companies: This is a list of Yo-Yo companies who currently or used to make yoyos. Please add what you know and start making pages for those companies. American Nationals *Featured - September 29, 2005 From American Nationals: The American Nationals are a yo-yo contest every year in Chico California. It is a National competition which the winner of which is deemed number one in the nation. The event is traditionally held the first weekend in October. read more... List of Yo-Yo Companies